Nature reserve Walenhoek

After the brickworks were closed, the area was left with deep clay pits. Some pits were filled with waste, while in others nature had the chance to take over, as in Walenhoek. This creates a large nature reserve with ponds and pools, where ducks and water birds such as the bittern feel at home.

“To extract the clay, the landscape was gently nibbled away, starting from the Rupel and moving further inland,” Annik explains. When we leave Walenhoek and walk back towards Noeveren, we can see well what ‘level’ the clay excavations created. “Now we are walking on the road that connected Niel and Boom,” Annik tells. “Because it was not allowed to disappear, it was tunneled under, so that horses could transport the clay from the pits to the brickworks on the Rupel. In total, there were about fifty tunnels in the area.” Before we descend again, between junctions 328 and 329, you have a beautiful view of ’t Geleeg.

GVA - Gazet van Antwerpen